Toronto, Canada, has been awarded a WNBA team. The new Toronto team will begin play in the 2026 season. This is the second expansion team in the WNBA to be announced in the past two years, as San Francisco’s WNBA team will begin play in the 2025 season.
Larry Tanenbaum, the head of Kilmer Sports Inc., will be the team’s owner. For those who aren’t familiar with Tanenbaum, he’s a minority owner and chairman of Maple Leaf Sports. Maple Leaf Sports owns several teams, like the Raptors and Maple Leafs. The new Toronto team will be the 14th team in the league.
The WNBA Speaks On The Possibility of More Expansion Teams
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The Canadian Broadcast Corporation stated that an official announcement will be made on May 23rd. A WNBA spokesperson from ESPN spoke with the platform on the possibility of more expansion teams and said:
We continue to engage in productive conversations with interested ownership groups in a number of markets but have no news to report at this time.
How Does The New Team Help The WNBA?
The new Toronto and San Francisco expansion teams can create greater revenue for the WNBA athletes. Ever since Caitlin Clark’s contract details were revealed, there have been growing conversations over pay disparities in the league.
In the past, many women basketball players had to play overseas to get more money than they did in the WNBA. However, this time in women’s sports may be the turning point in receiving greater pay than they would just by playing the league. This is a huge step forward for female athletes and the WNBA as a whole.
The Increase In Sponsorships For The League & Players
Caitlin Clark joined several other WNBA athletes in securing a shoe deal with Nike. The women’s final four during March Madness did astronomical numbers as they garnered 13.8 million viewers. That was 114% higher than the 2023 final four and 299% higher than 2022.
The upcoming rookie class with Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, and more will make this WNBA season an even more exciting one. Angel Reese also has the largest social media following in her rookie class. Therefore, it can put the WNBA in the eyes of a younger demographic who loved her during her days at LSU. The growth of the league greatly depends on people going to the games themselves, so if fans want the W to grow even further, go to the games!
About The Author
Justin is a writer and poet with nine years of professional experience covering sports, health topics, hip-hop events, and community matters. He’s a Richmond, Virginia native now based in Southern California. He has published two books under the pen name Jay Guevara and can be found on all social media @justinhisprime.
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